Brake



Sept. 6, 1927. 1,641,443 L. E. LA BRIE BRAKE ATTORN EY Paten-ted Sept. (i, 192.7.

UNITED .STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

LUDGER ELIZ'E LA BRIE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BENDIX BRAKE COMPANY, OIE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BRAKE.

Application ined August 1, 1925. seria1-N0.'47,41o.

tion is to provide a novel simple adjustment for taking up for wear, preferably operable from outside of the brake. In one desirable arrangement, the adjustable part, shown as an eccentric, engages a lever arranged between the ends of the shoes or the like, the lever being operable to force these ends apart in applying the brake. Then used on a brake for a front or other swivelled wheel, preferably the adjustment corrects the active position of a part of the levervwhich is engaged by the brake-applying means, and

which is movable, inapplying the brake,

horizontally to an active position in the swivelling axisor immediately adjacent that axis. One feature of the invention relates to making the parts of the -brake interchangeable. Y

` The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novelV combinations of parts and desirable particular constructions, will be apparent from the following description of one illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a. vertical section through the top part 'of the brake and associated parts of the swivelled wheel, etc.; Fig. 2 is, a vertical section through the brake onl the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the shoes in side elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a' section on the' line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing one shoe in end elevation.

In the arrangement selected for illustration, the drum 10 of the brake rotates with a wheel mounted on a knuckle 12, the knuckle being swivelled by a kingpin orthe like at the vend of the front axle 14. The

knuckle 12 alsocarries 'the backing plate 1 6` of the brake.

The brake includes an expansible friction device, shown as including a reverse shoe 18 anchored at 20, a central'shoe '22 anchored at 24, and a servo shoe .26 pivoted at -28 to shoe 22. Shoes 18 and 26 are forked at their ends to provide parallel arms straddling the ends of shoe 22, anchor 24 passing through 'relatively large openings in the arms of shoe 18, and anchor 20 passing through a relatively large opening in the web of shoe 22.

Springs 30 and 32 urge the shoes away from tigri, drum. Shoes 18-and -26 are interchangea e.

.The ends of shoes 18 and 26 are pried apart, to apply the brake, by'l means ofa lever 32 arranged between the ends, and having a plane surface engaged by a ball end on a horizontal lever 34 fulcrumed on the axle 14. The point of engagement between levers 32 and 34 moves, in applying the brake, horizontally from an idle position spacedl rearwardly ofthe swivelling axis to an a ct1ve'position in that axis, or a small fraction of an inch at one side of the axis if 1t is desired to relievethe pressure on the outer brake in rounding a corner.

Lever 32 is pivoted by means of a. spindle 36 between bearings 38=formed on a plate 40' secured to the end of'shoe 18. According to an important feature of the invention, the lever engages an adjustable partsuch as an eccentric 42 pressed or keyed on a spindle 44 carried by bearings 46 formed on a. plate 48 on shoe 26. Plates 40 and 48 are interchangeable, but reversed with respect to each other. Spindle 44 projects through an opening 50 in backing plate 16, so that it can be adjusted from outside the backing plate to turn the eccentric. The eccentric part is shown withlocking teeth on its end, and is clamped in adjusted position by a nut 52 engaging a sleeve or spacing washer 54.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to that particular embodiment, or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

. .I claim:

1. A brake comprising, in combination, a drum, a pair of shoes'having their adjacent ends anchored withinthe drum, a third shoe arranged to operate one of the pair of shoes, alever between the end of the third shoe and the nnanchored end of the other of the pair of shoes, arranged when operated to pry theshoesapart against the drum, and means for adjusting the point of engagement between the end of'one of the shoes and the rlever.

2. A brake comprlslng, lncombinatlon, a

drum, two vshoes having adjacent ends, a

to prythe shoes apart against the drum, and

means for adjusting the point of engagement petween the end of one of the shoes and the ever.

3. Braking mechanism for a swivelled wheel comprising, in combination, a drum rotating with the wheel, a friction device inside the drum having adjacent ends spread apart in forcing the device against the drum, a lever arranged between the adjacent ends and engaging them in a manner to prythem apart in applying the brake, said lever having apart movable in applying the .brake substantially horizontally to an active position approximately in the swivelling axis, means engaging said part of the lever to apply the brake, and means for adjusting the position of the point of engagement between the lever and one of the ends, to correct the active posit-ion of said part of the lever with respect to the swivellng axis.

4. Braking mechanism for a swivelled' wheel comprising, in combination, a drum rotating with the wheel, a friction device inside the drum having adjacent ends spread apart in forcing the device against the drum, a lever arranged between the adjacent ends and operable to pry them apart in applying the brake, said lever having a part movable in applying the brake substantially4 horizontally to an active position approximately in the swivelling axis,means engaging said part of the lever'to apply the brake, and an adjustable device carried by one of said ends and engaged by the lever and arranged to be operated to correct the active position of said part of the lever with respect to thel swivelling axis.

i 5. A brake comprising, in combination, a friction device having adjacent ends, a lever between said ends and operable to pry them apart, and an eccentric part mounted on one of the ends in engagement with the lever, l

and which can be turned as a wear-compensating adjustment. Y

6. A brake comprising, in combination, a friction device having adjacent ends, a lever mounted on one of said ends and operable to pry them apart, and an eccentric part mounted on the other of the-ends in engagement with the lever, and which can be turned as a wear-compensating adjustment.v

7 A brake comprising, in combination,'a friction device having adjacent ends, a lever arranged between the ends and operable to pry them apart, and a spindle rotatably mounted on one end and carrying an eccentric engaging the lever and adjusted by turning the spindle to serve as a wear-compensating adjustment.

8. A brake comprising, in combination, a friction device having adjacent ends, a lever pivoted on one of the ends and operable to pry them apart, and a spindle rotatably mounted on the other of the ends and carrying an eccentric engaging the lever and adjusted by turning the spindle to serve as a Wear-compensating adjustment.

9. A brake shoe having at its end a separate plate formed with aligned bearings adapted tosupport either a spindle serving as la pivot for a lever arranged be-v tween the bearings or a spindle carrying an adjustable lever-engaging part, together with a spindle mounted in one of said bearings and having an eccentric part between said bearings. 10. A pair of interchangeable brake shoes havingat their ends separate reversibly interchangeable plates formed with aligned bearings, aspindle carried by the bearings of one'plate and serving as a pivot for a lever arrangedbetween the bearings, and a spindle carried by the bearings of the other plate and carrying an adjustable lever-engaging part, the two plates being reversed with respect to each other.

- 11. A brak'ecomprising, in combination,a drumjanda backing plate, a friction device between the drum and backing plate having adjacent ends, means for forcing said endsj apart to expand the friction device against the drum, and a part carried by one of the ends in engagement withsaid means and which is adjustable from outside the backing plate to take upfor Wear.

12. A brake comprising, in combination, a drum and a backing plate, a friction device between the drum and backing platey havingadjacent ends, means for forcing sai-d ends Iapart to` expand the friction device against the drum, and a spindle having an eccentric carried by one of the ends with the eccentric in engagement with said means and with the s indle arranged to be adjustable from outside the backing plate to take up for wear.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name. LUDGrER- ELIZE LA BRIE. 

